GOT TO VISIT MY GREENIE AREA THIS WEEK AND IT WAS JUST SO SURREAL!!

Dear family and friends, 

     Wow I really do love hearing about your lives.  Dad I am so happy for you and your new investment firm, UBS, and I loved reading all about that:)  It sounds like you are so happy!!!  I'm really close to the city Incheon, and I served there my first area.  That's so cool that the international golf tournament, (The President's Cup) was played in the city where I served.  That's awesome that you got to see a little bit of Korea on T.V..  This week was really fun for me because I got to go to my greenie area and it was surreal.  EVERYTHING was the same. It was the same people selling the same things on the streets, and I even talked to a lady in a store who remembered me from a year ago.  CRAZY!!   There were so many good memories there.

     I am SOOOOOOOOO  PROUD of you Alyssa and am so happy that you received your Young Women's Medallion.  Alyssa wear it every day!!  It will remind you of all your hard work, and all the values that you learned!  I love you and am so happy for you:)  You did a great thing, and we will celebrate it together when I get home.

     Stephen........I am so glad you are doing well and dating.  YES!!  Keep up the social life and then we will both party even more when I get home.  I promise I won't drive you crazy, and I think I have matured just a little bit more??  haha

     It seems like Justin will have fun with his new companion from Ethiopia, and serving in the inner city of Louisville.  I can tell he is loving his mission, and I can't wait to talk about our missions together.:)

     General Conference was AMAZING, and I'm so grateful for the guidance we receive EVERY SIX months.  I've never focused so hard, but then not focusing too hard because it was in English.  haha  I regret falling asleep during the different conferences when I was younger.  I just loved every minute of it here and didn't want it to end.

     The coolest miracle I want to share with you is what happened this past Tuesday.  We got everything ready to teach the English class, and as it began, to my surprise, people just started coming in, and people who have never come before.  They kept on coming and coming, and even this one mother finally came who we met on the street.  She joined her daughter in the English class.  That day was the first day we started to announce that we had church, and openly invited people during the class hour.  After the English class was done the mother of this daughter came up to me and said that they would like to come to church.  She then texted us later and asked what time it started.  Interest just shot up out of the blue, and miracles are happening every day.  God loves ALL of His children and will provide a way for them.:)

     This last Saturday we had dinner with our investigator and a member, and we went to a delicious restaurant that our member owns.  The member is the Relief Society President and is so filled with the spirit and with love.  I was talking to her and we were speaking about a member who needed help.  I suddenly got this genius thought in my head that I should probably ask her if there is anyone else that we can help.  The Relief Society President paused and grabbed my arm and said, "YES!"  She asked me if missionaries can clean members houses.  We said of course, and she looked at me like her biggest burden just got released.  She asked us if we could help this one person.  We were so happy to help her, and I realized later that it was the spirit of the Holy Ghost that whispered to me, and I am so grateful for those quiet whisperings.

     Today for P day we are just resting because we have been so tired.  The weather is getting really cold and I'm wearing lots of sweaters.  I don't wear boots yet but I will.  I LOVE IT:)  I am sorry that I told you I was asked to perform for the general authority last week, because I meant this week coming up on Friday.  I got the music, "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee," and Elder Gabe Smith from Arizona will play the piano.

     I'm going this week to the doctor because we were really busy last week.  The ring worm is the same, but I tried putting oregano essential oil on it and it literally burned my foot off.....almost!  haha

     As we travel around I see American movies advertised and shown here a lot, and many of them are not decent, so I just have to force myself to look away. haha   One of you asked me if I could ask a Buddhist where she thinks she came from, and why she is here, and where after death will she go?  The problem is that most Buddhists ignore us, but our investigator is Buddhist so i will ask her.

       Yesterday we went to lunch with a member and they served silk worms, and this time I just chose not to eat it.  I'm learning to be brave huh?  haha 

     At night the teenagers love to go to karaoke rooms and hang out there and eat.  Most teenagers are addicted to video games and it's a very big problem here in Korea.  When you come you will see it.  You will also see that MOST people now hardly EVER look up from their phones, and the members tell us all the time how big of a problem it is.  Old people like to relax at the parks, and the children still like to play outside.

     The missionaries were asked to sing at a festival this Saturday, and I got signed up to play the guitar.  We are singing, "Let it Go."  I'm excited for that.  Recently our mission president gave us some advice.  He said, "JUST BE WISE!!!  Being wise means listening to advice, and praying to the Lord first before you make an important decision." 

     I am not sure yet what I want for Christmas but I will think about it and get back to you next week.  I do need some new makeup 2CN2 Bare Creme from Este Lauder.  I ran out so if you could send that ASAP as well as toothpaste I'd appreciate it.  Korean toothpaste apparently ruins your teeth really fast and NO MISSIONARY uses it.  I ran out, and if you can send 3 to 4 toothpastes that would be great.:)  Thank you! Oh and the C.D.'s.........did you send them?  I need music.....haha!

     I just want you all to know that I love my mission, and as hard as it is, I have learned so much about life.  I have gained my own personal testimony that I will never deny.  I am learning patience, and to deal with different companions personalities.  Living so far away from home in this foreign land  of Korea, has caused me turn to the Lord so many times in order to make it through.  It makes you rise up and have to face rejection and hard times.............which really makes you grow.:)

     Well that's it for now.  Thank you for everything!  I love you all so much and I'm so happy with the new apostles.  I was so excited as I watched them all speak.  I LOVE THIS CHURCH and this gospel, and I ultimately love my Savior Jesus Christ.

                              

             LOVE YOU ALL, Michelle